Micro power generation such as wind turbines and other renewable energy generators are a small step towards stopping climate change

We've seen portable charging devices for personal gadgets, we've seen vertical axis wind turbines and now we have seen a marriage of the two. That's right, appropriate technology enthusiasts, there is a portable wind turbine on the horizon and it's perfect for charging your electronic gizmos.

Skajaquoda is a research group based in Minnesota, USA, focused on developing products that can restore the balance between humans and nature. To that end, they have designed Trinity, the portable vertical axis wind turbine and have launched a Kickstarter campaign with the intention of bringing it to the masses.

Yes, that's right, Trinity is a portable wind turbine. It can charge any USB device like a smart phone or tablet. It folds together into a 12" cylinder that can be carried wherever you go, has a 15W generator and a built in battery capable of holding 15,000 mAh (enought to charge a cell phone up to six times). It has been designed with ease of use in mind, making it extremely simple to transport and operate.

I'm sure we raised a few eyebrows suggesting personal renewable energy generators will stop climate change, and yes, we agree that it will take more than that. What devices such as this do is create an awareness of the importance of ending our reliance on fossil fuels, and they remind people of the need to develop renewable clean energy sources if we are to have any impact on slowing climate change.

We recently posted a story on the pedal-powered Bicycle Generator, and its rather lofty claims that one hour of riding can power a house for a day, which simply is not the case. However, with homes that are designed with the goal of reducing energy consumption, small devices like the portable wind turbine or pedal-powered washing machine, pedal-powered bike generators at least keep the discussion on track, even if they do little but offer a chance for myth debunking! And if you're someone that lives off grid, then devices like this simply become a way of life.